Routing machine



Sept. 20, 1949. w. F. HUCK 2,482,620

ROUTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVEN TOR. MM 7 MSe t. 20, 1949. w. F. HUCK 2,482,620

ROUTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 2 INVENTOR. cm 7.MAWQ W. F. HUCK ROUTING MACHINE Sept. 20, 1949.-

'7 Sheets-Sheet 5 Filed Aug. 22, 1945 I IN VEN TOR w/ 7 all Sept. 20,1949. w. F. HUCK 2,482,620

ROUTING MACHINE F iled Aug. 22, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 4 Sept. 20, 1949. w.F. HUCK 2,482,620

ROUT ING MACHINE Filed Afig. 22, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 5 IN VEN TOR. wwv?M Sept. 20, 1949. w. F. HUCK 2,482,620

ROUTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22, 1945 7 Sheets-Sheet 6 IN VEN TOR.

Sept. 20, 1949. w. F. HUCK 2,482,620

ROUTING MACHINE Filed Aug. 22, 1945 '7 Sheets-Sheet 7 ,INVENTQR F1 57./0. Q M7 2 6? ATTO z EY Patented Sept. 20, 1949 ROUTING MACHINE WilliamF. Huck, Forest Hills, N. Y., assignor to R. Hoe & 00., Inc., Bronx, N.Y., a corporation of New York Application August 22, 1945, Serial No.611 991 I 4 Claims.

This invention relates to routing machines, and especially suchmachines, used for routing flat ele-ctrotype and stereotype printingplates and commonly known as radial arm routers.

An object of the invention is to provide a routing machine incorporatingvarious improvements, including means whereby the machine can becontrolled more accurately and with less efiort on the part of theoperator than machines heretofore available, also mechanism whereby thespeed of the cutting tool is indicated on a calibrated dial and may beconveniently controlled over a wide range, in fine gradations, and alsoincluding more complete guarding and enclosure of all moving parts.

It is also an object of the invention to provide a routing machine ofgenerally improved construction, that will be simple, durable andrelatively inexpensive in construction, as well as convenient,practical, serviceable and efficient in use.

Other objects, novel features and advantages will be apparent from thespecification and accompanying drawings.

A practical embodiment of the invention is illustrated in theaccompanying drawings, .in

which:

Figure 1 is a front elevational view of the new and improved routingmachine;

Figure 2 is a side elevational view of the machine shown in Figure 1;

Figure 3 is a top plan view of the machine shown in Figures 1 and 2;

Figure 4 is a sectional view taken on the center line 4-4 of Figure 1,with certain of the upper portions omitted and looking in the directionof the arrows. The printing plate and supporting mechanisms are shown inthe raised position;

Figure 5 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the irregular line 5-5of Figure 4 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 6 is a partly broken-away view of a portion of the mechanismshown in Figures 1 to 3;

Figure '7 is a partly broken-away front view of the router head taken onthe line 1-1 of Figure 6 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 8 is a horizontal sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Figure3 and looking in the direction of the arrows;

Figure 9 is a sectional view taken on the line indicated by arrows 9 ofFigure 3; and

Figure 10 is a view of the parts shown in Figure 9 as seen from theright of that figure.

The routing machine. shown in the drawings includes, a main base In thatcarries an upper portion or frame II. The base supports a plurality ofcontrolling, mechanisms (Figure 4), including a treadle l2 fo'r'rai'singa table I 3 with a printing plate [4 thereon, a hand wheel l6 foradjusting the lengthbf lift of the table [3, a hand wheel I! for makingadjustments to compensate for the weight of difierent printing plates,and a hand wheel I for adjusting the speed at which a router bit 19(Figures 6 and 7) is rotated. The frame ll supports a hand Wheel 2| foradjusting the height of table l3 and plate 14; and. consequently thedepth 170 which the router bit will cut when the treadle I2 is presseddown against its'stop. The frame II also carries a post 22 (Figures 1and 8) for supporting a main router arm 23. p

The printing plate 14 (Figure 4) is held in place on the work table I3by a rear clamp 24, that may be variously positioned by a knownmechanism under the control of a hand wheel 26, and by a front clamp 21held to a holder 28 by a pin 29. The holder 28'is provided with a lug3|, having a threaded hole 32 for receiving a screw 33. Lock nuts 34 anda sprin as bias the screw toward the right and into a hole in a bearingbracket 31. The left end of the screw 33, as seen in Figure 4, has ahand wheel 38 by means of which the front clip, may becmoved to clam orunclanip the plate [4. The front clamp 21 is thus resiliently pressedagainst the edge of the plate l4. v The work table I3 is raised andlowered by a mechanismbest shown in Figures 4 and 5. The

-- table is issecured by screws to a pair of collars 39, each of whichis integral with one of a pair of table lifting rods 4|. These liftingrods are arranged to slide Vertically in upper and lower brackets 42 and43, formed as an integral part ofv the base [0, and each rod H has astop plate 49 secured to its lower end by a screw 45. Each rod 4| alsocarries a pin 44 to which one end of abifurcated tab-1e lifting arm 46is pivotally attached. The other end of each of the arms 46 is sec'uredto an intermediate support member or shaft 41 (Figure 5); bymeans ofkeys 4 8 and set screws 49. A hub 5| (Fig'ure 4) of an adjusting arm 52is secured to the shaft 4! midway between the arms 46 by means of a key53 and a set screw 54, and the bifurcated end 56 of this arm carries apivot pin 51, the center of which has a threaded diametral hole 58through which the threaded end of a table adjusting screw 59 is screwed.The untlir'eaded end of the' screw 59 carries a collar 6i, that is'secured thereto by a 3 set screw 62, and engages a cylindrical swivelblock 63 that is seated in a recess in the frame II. The swivel blockhas a diametral hole 64 through which passes the end of the screw 59that carries the hand wheel 2 I.

The table lifting shaft 41 (Figure 4) is partially supported on areduced upper end 61 of a spring guide 68, that fits loosely in a radialhole 66 in the lower portion of the tub 5| and the shaft 51. A collar 69is secured to the spring guide 68 and acts as an upper abutment for aresilient table-balancing spring H, which carries a portion of theweight of the table I3. The lower end of the spring 1| abuts a collar 12that is slidably mounted on the rod 88 and which is supported by an arm13 of a bell crank 14. The bell crank is rotatably supported on a shaft16, the ends of which (Figure 5) rest in seats 18 formed in the twolower brackets 43. Another arm 11 of the bell crank is bifurcated andthereby pivotally supports a pin 19 having a threaded diametral hole 8i.A table balancing screw 82 (Figure 4) has its threaded end screwed intothe hole 8|, and its unthreaded end passes through a hole 83 in the baseI and thence through a diametral hole 84 in a swivel block 86. The outerend of the screw 82 carries the hand wheel I1, and the inner face of thewheel I1 abuts the swivel block 88, which in turn abuts the face of thebase I0. The rods M as above described thus constitute the first supportfor the table and these, in turn, are pivotally supported from a secondsupport provided for by the shaft 41. Arrangements are provided toelevate and lower the mechanism by means of a foot pedal and for alsoadjusting the height of the work table. This is accomplished by means ofbell crank lever connections comprising the arms 45 which pivotallysupport the bars M (the links 81 acting on the second support or shaft41), and the second arm 52 affixed to the shaft 41, at the end of whichis a fulcrum point adjustable by means of the handle 2I.

The upper ends of a pair of table lifting links 8! (Figures 4 and arepivotally secured to opposite ends of the shaft 41. The lower ends ofthe links 81 are pivotally supported by pins 88, carried in bifurcatedarms 89, secured to a treadle shaft 9| (Figure 5) by means of keys 92.The shaft 9| is supported in bearings 93 formed in the lower portion ofthe base III. The treadle I2, includes a pair of treadle levers 94,positioned outside of the base I0 and secured to opposite ends of thetreadle shaft 9| by keys 96. A treadle bar 91 extends between theunsupported ends of the treadle levers 94. A treadle stop lever 98(Figure 4) is secured to the shaft 9| midway of its length, by means ofa key 99, and when the treadle I2 is released, the weight of the tableI3 causes one arm IOI of this lever to engage an abutment I02 protrudinginward from the base I 0, thus limiting the upward movement of thetreadle I2 and the downward movement of the table I3. Another arm I03 ofthe lever 98 has an enlarged hole I04 into which extends a reduced endI05 of a treadle stop lever adjusting screw I01, that is screwed into aboss I08 formed as a part of the base I0. The threaded end of the screwI01, that extends outside of the base I0, carries the hand wheel I6. Thescrew I01 and the arm I03 provide means for adjusting the lift of thetable I3, or the distance it is raised when the treadle I2 is depressed.

After a plate I4, is positioned on the work table and clamped in placeby manipulating the hand wheels 28 and 38; if the plate is heavy thehand wheel I1 may be turned to increase tension on the spring TI andthereby reduce the treadle pressure that would otherwise be required tolift the table, but if the plate is light, the hand wheel I1 is turnedin the opposite direction and reduces the tension on the spring to theextent necessary to compensate for the lesser weight of such a plate. Itis thus possible for an operator to make adjustment for the treadlepressure he prefers to use, and thus keep the treadle pressure the samefor plates of all sizes. Turning the hand wheel 2| adjusts the depth towhich the router bit cuts when the treadle is pressed down. When thehand wheel 2I is turned to swing the arm 52 clockwise (as seen in Figure4) about the axis of the shaft 41, it raises the table and increases thedepth of the cut, whereas turning the hand wheel 2| in the oppositedirection lowers the table and makes a shallower cut.

Figure 4 shows the treadle I2 depressed and the table I3 and plate I4raised.

The hollow cylindrical post 22 (Figures 6 and 8) is secured to the topof the frame II by a plurality of bolts II1. A hollow cylindrical sleeveI00, having a flanged portion I09, is rotatably supported inside of thepost 22 by anti-friction bearings comprising balls H0 at the upperportion, and the lower portion of the sleeve I08 is supported by ballsIII that engage a ring II2 secured to the sleeve I00 by bolts II3. Apair of upper and lower ball bearings I I4, respectively carried by anupper portion of the sleeve I00, and the lower portion of the sleeve I00and ring I I2, rotatably support a vertically disposed shaft I I8 thelower end of which carries an adjustable diameter V-belt pulley II9(Figure 6), having an upper face I2I and a lower face I22. The pulleyadjustment is biased toward maximum diameter by a spring I23 that isheld on the lower end of the shaft I I8 by a washer I24 and a nut I26.The pulley H9 is driven by a relatively wide V-belt I21 that is adaptedto run on a flat pulley I28 carried on the end of a shaft of a motor I29(Figure 6). The motor, that is enclosed within the base I 0, may beinspected by removing a cover I25 (Figure 2). The base of the motor issecured to a pair of straps or arms I3I .by bolts I32, and the straps,by means of bolts I30, are secured to a vertically disposed shaft I33,that is rotatable in upper and lower brackets I34 (Figures 4 and 5). Thefront end of the straps I3I rotatably support opposite ends of a pin I38having a threaded diametral hole I31 into which is screwed the threadedend of a motor adjusting screw I38.

The unthreaded end of the screw I38 passes through a hole I39 in thefront wall of the base I0 and through a diametral hole MI in a swivelblock I42, and the front end of the screw I38 carries the hand Wheel I8.By turning the hand wheel I8 in one direction, the arms I3I and themotor I29 carried thereby, are swung about the axis of the shaft I33(Figure 5), and the pulley I28 (Figure 6) is moved away from thevariable speed pulley I I9, thus further separating the pulley faces I2I and I22 and reducing the diameter of the portion of the pulleyengaged by the belt and thereby increasing the speed of the shaft II8.Turning the hand wheel I8 in the opposite direction will obviouslydecrease the speed of the shaft The main router arm 23 (Figure 8) ispreferably formed as a hollow casing, and has one end secured to theflange I09 of the sleev I00 by bolts I I5. The supported end of the arm23 has an amaze upwardly facing opening 106 that is closed byare'movable cover plate I20. A crowned pulley I43 and a spacing nut Iare secured on the upper portion of the shaft H8 and a second nut I40secures a plate 145 on the upper end of the shaft. The pulley I43 drivesa belt I44 which runs in the hollow arm 23 and drives a crowned pulleyI46, also within the arm 23. The crowned pulley :I46 and a spacer nutI49 are secured on the upper portion of a shaft I41 and a second nut I49secures a plate I5I on the upper end of the shaft I41,tthat is rotatablysupported in a pair of upper and lower ball bearings I66. These bearingsare held in a hub I6l that is'secured to a lower portion of the arm 23by bolts I62. hollow router head arm I63 is rotatably supported from thehub I6I by apair of collars I64 and I66, and a plurality of balls I61positioned in raceways formed in the collars and/the hub I6I, thusproviding an anti-friction bearing. The two collars are held together byscrews I68, and the upper collar I66 is secured-to the upper face of therouter head arm I63 by bolts I69. Thehollow arm I63 houses the lower endof the shaft I41 to which a pulley I1I is secured and capped by a screwI12; The pulley I1I drives a belt I13 that extends through the hollowarm 163 to a pulley I14 (Figures 6 and 7) that is encased ina routerhead I 16 carried at the outer end of the arm I63. The arm 23 (Figures 6and 8) has an opening I11, covered by a removable plate I16, thataffords access to the pulley I46 and the belt I44. The arm I63 also hasan opening I19, covered by a removable plate I8I, that affords access tothe pulley HI and th belt I13.

The router head I16 (Figures 6 and '7) and its cap I82 carry ballbearings I83 which support a vertical shaft I84. The lower end of thisshaft carries a fan I81 and a chuck I88 for holding the router bit I9,while the upper end of the shaft carries a, knob I86 for tightening thechuck. A bracket I89 extending from the side of the router arm I63,supports one end of a handle bar I92, that is secured to the bracket bybolts I9I. The tapered extreme end of the main arm 23 (Figures 1 and 2),carries a swivel fork I93 that has a pin I 94 for engaging any one of aplurality of notches I96 formed on the lower edge of a main arm handleI91. The free end of the handle is provided with a knob I98, and anintermediate portion of the handle rests on a guide I99 that is carriedby a pair of brackets 20I protruding from the frame I I.

From the foregoing description it will be seen that with the mechanismherein disclosed, the router head I16 is mounted for free movement inany direction in a horizontal plane, but is not vertically movable.

A push button station 206 (Figure 1), having both a start and a stopbutton, is recessed into the front face of the frame II, and by means ofsuitable electric conductors and a motor starting switch (not shown),control the starting and stopping of the motor I29.

As previously stated, the effective diameter of the variable speedpulley I I9 is changed by swinging the motor I29 with the shaft I33 as apivot. Thus the angular position of the shaft is a measure of the speedat which the router bit I9 will rotate when running. This i shown by aspeed indicator 201 (Figures 9 and 10). One end of a lever 202 issecured to the upper end of the shaft I 33 by screws 205, and one end ofa cable 203 is secured to an intermediate portion of the lever by an eyebolt 221. A pointer 204 is secured One end of a to one end of a shaftin, that is journaled in a bracket 2| 3, and the bracket is secured tothe frame H by screws 2I4. A pulley H6 is secured to an intermediateportion of the shaft 2I2, and a segmental dial 2I1 is adjustable aroundthe shaft by being held to the bracket 2I3 by a screw 2! passing througha slotted hole 2 I 9, A bracket 22L held to the frame II by screws 222,rotatably supports pulleys 224 and 226, and the cable 203 passes fromthe eye bolt 221 over the pulley 224, around the pulley 2I6, over thepulley 226 and then is secured to one end of a spring 228. The other endof the spring is secured to the frame by an eye bolt'23I. As the shaftH3 i angularly displaced, the lever 202 moves one end of the cable 203,which increases or decreases the length of the spring 228 and rotatesthe pulley 2I6, thus moving the pointer 204 to indicate the approximatespeed of the router bit. It will be noted that the pointer 204 indicatesthe speed at which the router bit will run regardless of whether themotor and bit are running or not.

The frame II (Figures 2 and 3) is provided with a chip guard 208 and amultiplicity of holes 209 through which chips produced by the router bitmay fall. The chips drop on inclined surfaces which direct them to thebottom of the base I0, aiild they can be then removed through a door 2During operation of the machine, the operator grips the knob I98 in theright hand and the bar I92 in the left hand, and thereby manipulates therouter bit to any desired portion of the plat I4. Also by using thetreadle I 2, the operator can, in a manner hereinbefore described, raisethe plate I4 toward the bit I9. When the operator removes his foot fromthe treadle bar 91, the plate I4 automatically drops to a position belowthe router bit. Thus there is no danger of the router bit damaging theplate b unintentional contact therewith.

The belt I44 can be removed or installed by removing the plates I20,I45, I18 and I5I, and the belt I13 can be removed or installed byremoving the plate I8I and the cap I82. Tension on the belt I 13 can beadjusted by means of the bolts I69 and slotted holes I10, and tension onthe belt I44 can be varied by adjusting the position of bolts H5 inslotted holes, not shown.

It will be understood that the invention may be embodied in otherspecific forms without departing from the spirit or essential attributesthereof, and it is therefore desired that the present embodiment beconsidered in all respects as illustrative and not restrictive, referencbeing made to the claims rather than to the foregoing description for anindication of the scope of the invention.

What I claim is:

1. In a routing machine for operating upon flat printin plates, a routerhead swingably supported for movement limited to one horizontal plane,and a work table mounted for vertical movement toward and away from therouter head; the mechanism for moving the work table including a pair ofvertically disposed lifting rods, 2, horizontally disposed shaft, a pairof first arms keyed to the shaft and supporting the rods by a pivotalconnection, a balancing spring partially supporting the said shaft, anadjustable second arm positioned for supporting the spring, a third armkeyed to the shaft and adjustably arranged to rotate the shaft andthereby raise and lower the first arms and the rods, a pair ofvertically disposed links connected to the said shaft independently ofthe balancing spring, a treadle connected to the links for raising andlowering the shaft, and a stop for limitin the movement of the treadle.

2. In a routing machine for operating upon flat printing plates, arouter head swingably supported for movement limited to a horizontalplane, a bit rotatably supported from the router head, a drive for therotating bit, and a Work table mounted for vertical movement toward andaway from the router head; the mechanism for supporting the router headand for driving the router bit including a hollow vertical post, ahollow sleeve turnably supported in the post, a hollow router arm, oneend of which is supported from the sleeve, a drive shaft rotatablysupported in the sleeve, and a means enclosed within the said router armfor driving the router bit from the shaft.

3. In a routing machine for operating upon flat printing plates, arouter head swingably supported for movement in only one horizontalplane, and a, work table mounted for vertical movement toward and awayfrom the router head; the mechanism for moving the work table includinga vertically disposed support, a horizontally disposed support, aconnection secured to the horizontally disposed support and arranged topivotally support the vertically disposed support, an adjustablysupported resilient member for supporting the horizontally disposedsupport, and an elevator for raising and lowering the horizontallydisposed support.

4. In a routing machine for operating upon fiat printing plates, arouter head swingably supported for movement in only one horizontalplane, and a work table mounted for vertical movement toward and awayfrom the router head; the mechanism for moving the work table includinga first support for supporting the work table, a second support, a leverconnection secured to the second support and arranged to pivotallysupport the first support, an adjustable Iulcrum for the said leverconnection, and an adjustable resilient member for supporting the secondsupport, and an elevator for raising .and lowering the second support.

WILLIAM F. I-IUCK.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file ofthis patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Dace 462,671 Moseley Nov. 3, 1891840,765 Goss Jan. 8, 1907 729,896 Royle June 2, 1908 1,058,537 BonnerApr. 8, 1913 1,487,773 Weston Mar. 25, 1924 1,905,448 Dixon Apr. 25,1933 1,959,269 Gorton May 15, 1934 2,203,743 Parsons June 11, 19402,208,430 Ostler July 16, 1940

